Hot Air Balloon causing havoc...

Cuppatea

Cuppatea

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Out on a couple of horses today doing a bit of roadwork when we saw a hot air balloon on tthe horizon. Dont think i have ever seen one round here before so thought it pretty cool.:cool:
Then the bloody thing chases us.:mad:
Neither horse are particularly happy about this and mine was a right so and so with knobs on.:(
eventually got to the top of the hill where we could get out of the path of terrifying horse chasing balloon where we stood and watched it pass, marvelling at the sight.
so, carry on our ride and get to the bottom of the hill to go home where we find our dog, running round the main road (well, its the nearest thing to one round here)terrified with cars stopping trying not to hit him-get him off the road.
Shout over to him, he come galloping over, almost climbs up on the horse with me ( collie/lurcher cross, heavy set and rather large). get him to follow us back to the farm (albeit on the other side of the road mainly) whilst waving cars down to slow (one did almost hit him, i did scream:( ) whee i find OH in the car looking for him. Apparently the balloon went right over the yard and freked the bejaysus out of him :(:( and he ran away from it.

I always used to love hot air balloons but i dont think i like them now.:o
 
My dog hates them she is a shivering wreak after they come over, I feel your pain. Not sure yet how the horses deal with them
 
Horses used to be kept pretty much next to Leeds castle where hot air balloons take off (is that what you'd call it?) every time there is a still day all year round. Sometimes over 10 balloons up at once. Horses now not al all bothered
 
Cuppatea said:
Shout over to him, he come galloping over, almost climbs up on the horse with me ( collie/lurcher cross, heavy set and rather large). get him to follow us back to the farm (albeit on the other side of the road mainly) whilst waving cars down to slow (one did almost hit him, i did scream:( )
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Why did you not get off catch dog and lead horse & dog home?

Stirrup leather would have made a lead (or one half of your reins).
 
Oh Lord they can be scary. I'd just been seriously bronced off a horse and knocked out for a few seconds but was desperate to get back on a horse so as to keep what little nerve I had left. Got onto one of ours who is very green but a sweetie, heard a funny noise and over the railway embankment appeared a very low flying balloon at about 25 feet. It was so low that they hadn't seen the horses - who were all near the bank - and were trying to land in our field. I thought my horse was going to panic but actually he was really good, even with all the panicked shouting and swearing coming from the balloon as they desperately tried to get a bit of height by turning the burners on full. And those things make a LOT of noise when they are on full.

They managed to get a couple of fields away and instead of having a nice grassy landing in my field had to land in plough. Thank goodness I had a planned dismount onto grass after that, not the ignominious descent I'd had twenty minutes earlier.
 
As I put on another thread, we had a close encounter with a hot air balloon a few years ago. Fortunately the horses weren't worried although we were rather taken aback. We used to get quite a few balloons coming over here, although we haven't had so many recently. Our horses were pretty used to them but then we got a new Clydie who got the shock of her life the day one came down in our field.
We were very cross as it took one of our dry-stone walls down. The people with it simply packed up the balloon and disappeared with no offer to pay for mending the wall, which would have been very expensive except that OH is a dry-stone waller.
 
Just to annoy you, I used to school my cob with the balloon going up about 15m from the end of the arena, and when it was windy it would sometimes blow across the top end of the school. None of mine have ever been remotely interested in them, nor my dogs.
 
I've had horses doing a display right next to a tethered hot air ballon with the burners going full blast all day, none of them even looked at it. The miniature donkeys going past, however, were another matter altogether; cue hysteria and panic!
 
Here's my woofs reaction :P

[youtube]3JkowGzWrKA[/youtube]



I see a lot in our village, but I've never seen one close when I've been riding. I would actually like to see Ned's reaction. Even though I don't like encountering scary things, I do think it is good for him (and me!)
 
We have them taking off just up the road from my yard, when they first started i had all my fences broken, as horses got very scared. My biggest concern was when my mare was in foal. But to be fair, they have all got used to them now. ( well apart from my dog who constantly barks at them).

The worst was when one had a problem and came down very low, and nearly landed on the electricity pylon !!

I imagine yours will eventually get used to it:)
 
JFTD said:
Just to annoy you, I used to school my cob with the balloon going up about 15m from the end of the arena, and when it was windy it would sometimes blow across the top end of the school. None of mine have ever been remotely interested in them, nor my dogs.
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Cortez said:
I've had horses doing a display right next to a tethered hot air ballon with the burners going full blast all day, none of them even looked at it. The miniature donkeys going past, however, were another matter altogether; cue hysteria and panic!
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B*gger off the pair of you!
My old horse was fantastic with chinooks, jets etc flying so close overhead that you could see the pilots and dive bombing us on the beach, nothing scared her even if i freaked out on top, but 2 of the more spooky and strong type of racehorses were not a good combo as it turned out...
 
I don't know how the horse would react to a balloon, he'd probably stand and stare at it like it does with most things!

My OH's mums collie is petrified of balloons though. They were out on a walk once when one appeared, the dog was off lead and took off, made a beeline for home thankfully across fields not roads. The next time we saw one I spotted it before her luckily and got her on the lead before she could leg it but for about half an hour after it had gone she was still very worried.
 
Our horses are fantastic with balloons but my poor old dog used to be beside herself.

Only horse shaped problem we ever had was very early one morning when one took off at the end of the field and the way the sun caught it it was just a big black menacing shape. Cue WB having meltdown on the end of a rope until he recognised it for what it was.
 
They get used to them. We have whole fleets of them round here, the horses are mainly not bothered, my girl met one at very close quarters out on a hack alone and rising 4, they are pretty common. One came really low over the school yesterday, only one horse reacted and all he did was look and snort.
 
I let rip at a local balloon company after they came across my field at tree hight, no higher than 20 feet up (they were lower than the roof of the house next door). They tried to land on the playing field next to my field but missed so ended up coming right across my field. My mum was there and got knocked over by one of my horses who bolted and went through a fence. The people in the basket were waving and smiling, while watching my mum getting knocked to the ground. My mum was on the phone to me at the time and the last thing I heard we her saying 's**t Hattie's going to hit me!' I was on my way to work but spun round and raced to the field. Mum wasn't hurt but was shaken, I saw the balloon land a couple of fields away and went to have words. I got no apology and all they would say was 'we can't plan were we fly'.
God help them if they ever fly over my field again.
 
@cortez the scariest thing we've met hacking has been a mini shetland! Far more terrifying than hot air balloons, helicopters, military aircraft, motorbike and side car combinations, buses, lorries, trail bikes etc.
 
Captain Bridget said:
I don't know how the horse would react to a balloon, he'd probably stand and stare at it like it does with most things!
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Like mine?
tamaugust053.jpg


Took off about 20 metres from the yard and went directly overhead, when we had a clinic going on. None of the horses bothered thankfully!

OP, sounds a bit :eek: scary :eek: Glad you found your dog :)
 
Irishcobs said:
I let rip at a local balloon company after they came across my field at tree hight, no higher than 20 feet up (they were lower than the roof of the house next door). They tried to land on the playing field next to my field but missed so ended up coming right across my field. My mum was there and got knocked over by one of my horses who bolted and went through a fence. The people in the basket were waving and smiling, while watching my mum getting knocked to the ground. My mum was on the phone to me at the time and the last thing I heard we her saying 's**t Hattie's going to hit me!' I was on my way to work but spun round and raced to the field. Mum wasn't hurt but was shaken, I saw the balloon land a couple of fields away and went to have words. I got no apology and all they would say was 'we can't plan were we fly'.
God help them if they ever fly over my field again.
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A farmer near here passionately hates them. If one threatens to land on his farm he is out there with a 12 bore... surprising how often they then manage to fly a few extra hundred yards to get clear!!
 
My OH is a balloon pilot, and they really can't chase you, they pretty much can only go where the wind takes them.

They do have some sort of code where they do their best to avoid livestock but it isn't always possible.
 
JFTD said:
Just to annoy you, I used to school my cob with the balloon going up about 15m from the end of the arena, and when it was windy it would sometimes blow across the top end of the school. None of mine have ever been remotely interested in them, nor my dogs.
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^^^^^ lol

We get them low flying over my fields all the time and all my animals are totally fine with them, even when hacking out my youngster and one landed in the field on the other side of the road.

I think if one landed in my horses field it would be a different story though, am sure that would cause some havoc. Heard a lot of the farmers moaning about them landing in fields with pregnant ewes and crops.
 
We get quite a few over our fields in the evenings during late summer. My veteran just looks then ignores. My other girl looks and snorts nervously but she has learned that they won't actually kill her now.

Me and another livery did actually come across one that had landed in the stubble field last year. Cue must snorting from madam but we did manage to piaffe up to it and around it - all good practice!

However, the balloon should NOT be chasing you, nor causing stress to any livestock.
 
I don't think it 'chased you' did it? It went where the wind blew it...

And we wonder why people don't like horse riders when we're so quick to slate other people's hobbies for 'interfering' with our plans... ;)
 
There's always a couple floating about here whenever it's a nice day. They often land in the fields around, tho not ones with livestock. The horses just get used to it, if the put the burners on when they're overhead they panic a bit though.
 
My parents got me a trip in a hot air balloon years ago.

The pilot (is that what you call them), said that they can't control which direction they go in and they just have to go where the wind takes the, even when it's not windy on the ground it's windy up there - believe me:), he also said that when they do go over horses they try and not use the burner as they know it frightens them but if there's a danger of them landing they have to use it. They also always avoid landing in a field with livestock in and land in grass or crop fields.
 
April Blossom that is a little unfair. We had one go over here and our horses are used to helicopters, jets, etc but the balloon caused pandemonium. It went low over a field of cattle that were complety panicking, then it had to cross powerlines which was scary to watch and the burners were going, then over our horses who completely panicked, one went through the fence. The stallion was standing stock still but I was terrified he would panic, go through fences and end up in with the other horses which could have been a total disaster. Thankfully they managed to keep the balloon going and landed further away.
I did ring and say I thought it was a bad idea, they were great, did apologise and said they would stay away and I have never seen a balloon since. But that maybe to do with the powerlines, my heart was in my mouth ;-)
 
rhino said:
Like mine?
tamaugust053.jpg


Took off about 20 metres from the yard and went directly overhead, when we had a clinic going on. None of the horses bothered thankfully!
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That's what my mare did when she first saw one :) We were schooling in the arena at the time, hopefully we won't see them more regularly.
 
You should try living in Bristol. We have a four day balloon festival every year and there always seems to be an attempt to beat world records about how many balloons can be airbourne at anyone time. You can be talking in excess of 100. The bottle of whiskey if they land in your field is some recompense. Our horses have generally got used to them unless they are particularly low and letting off gas.
 
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